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Bronchiectasis patients unlikely to transmit bacteria to others through coughing

15 July 2019

Read more about results in a study published in 'Respirology' journal

Individuals with bronchiectasis are unlikely to transmit bacteria to others when they cough, a study shows.

Cough testing on 16 patients with bronchiectasis and 4 patients with COPD, all of whom were infected with P.aeruginosa, was undertaken. The test assessed whether the bacteria were released when individuals coughed and for how long and how far the bacteria could survive in the air.

Results showed that 35% of bronchiectasis and COPD patients (seven out of 20) released aerosols containing the bacteria during coughing with lower amounts of bacteria released in bronchiectasis patients with its survival rate in the air also shorter.

Find out more about the study: Transmission of bacteria in bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): low burden of cough aerosols in Bronchiectasis News Today.